Patek Philippe Geneva Salon & Museum Tour
Manufacture

Patek Philippe Geneva Salon & Museum Tour

By FabR · Jul 8, 2018 · 18 replies
FabR
WPS member · Patek Philippe forum
18 replies3593 views22 photos
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FabR shares a captivating account of his personal tour of the Patek Philippe Salon and Museum in Geneva, offering a rare glimpse into the brand's heritage and craftsmanship. His post highlights three exceptional Patek Philippe grand complications, including the highly sought-after Ref. 5531, and provides a unique collector's perspective on these horological marvels.

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Big thanks to my AD and to Patek, who organized a personal tour (for myself and my girlfriend) first of the Salon on Friday morning and then the Museum in the afternoon. I was badly looking forward to this, since I once again had to miss my AD's group trip in February (I work in the US during the year). Hopefully, I'll be able to see the manufacture as well next.

Here are for you my three favorite pieces of those (many) available to see at the Salon (luckily most were not available to buy, since they would have been above my paygrade anyway smile I have chosen the 6300, the 6002, and of course for a lover of rare hancrafts, the new 5531, that now I am seriously considering.

No pics of the inside of the Museum, obviously, but let me just say that both the incredibly knowledgeable and kind guide that accompanied the two of us for over two hours, and the astonishing quality of Mr. Stern's collection, made our visit a truly humbly and unique experience.

The rest of our (Patek-unrelated) Geneva stay was also great, I was charmed by the city. For a coincidence that can only happen every decade or so, at an Italian execs party (I'm not one) that we attended on our first night in town, I even ran into a high-school classmate that I hadn't seen in 20+ years!! (Last I heard of her she was in NYC, while last she heard of me I was in Canada --- so we both had roughly 15 years of life to catch up with!! smile)

We finally came back to Italy last night, after a stop in Lausanne and some wine-tasting in Lavaux --- whose vineyards are precisely those on the dial of the 5531! 

Hope you'll enjoy, and Have a great Sunday smile
























































































About the Patek Philippe Ref. 5531

The Patek Philippe Reference 5531 is distinguished as a World Time Minute Repeater, a highly complex combination of two of Patek Philippe's signature complications. It was initially introduced as a limited edition, highlighting both the brand's technical prowess in horology and its artistic application of métiers d'art, specifically cloisonné enamel work on the dial, depicting urban landscapes.

The case of the 5531 measures 40.20 mm in diameter and 11.49 mm in thickness, crafted in rose gold. It is powered by the self-winding Caliber R 27 HU, an integrated movement that allows the minute repeater to chime the local time as indicated by the world time function. The watch features a sapphire crystal.

This reference appeals to collectors seeking Patek Philippe's high complications combined with unique artistic dials. The initial release in 2017 featured two distinct cloisonné enamel dial variants, each depicting a Manhattan skyline, one in a daytime scene and the other at night, further enhancing its exclusivity and collector appeal within the grand complication series.

Specifications

Caliber
R 27 HU
Case
Rose gold
Diameter
40.20 mm
Dial
Cloisonné enamel (Manhattan skyline)
Crystal
Sapphire

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The Discussion
GL
GLau
Jul 8, 2018
Hi Fab, glad you had a great trip and tried on some grail pieces ! Best of luck with your decision on the ...

5531 and allocation ! Hope to see wrist shots of your 5531 soon ! How do you find the enamel work on this reference and did you find out who is the enameler ?

FA
FabR
Jul 8, 2018
Thanks a lot Gordon. The 5531 dial is frankly astonishing, even better than what one can see from the pictures (this was the first time I saw it in the metal)!

Not sure who's the enameler of the 5531, while you might be interested to know (if you already don't) that there's currently *only one* artist in charge of the wood marquetry work with Patek, the same one who made the 5089G-020 that I purchased in 2015... Would love to meet him one day, and I'm praying he'll continue his spectacular work for decades to come!

TE
Teacher Yang
Jul 8, 2018
Beautiful photos. Nice report!

Again, i like the red pant and the belt!

FA
FabR
Jul 8, 2018
Thanks! :-) My favorite belt, apparently, since I end up wearing it almost daily:-) Cheers. [nt]

GE
geross
Jul 8, 2018
Good to experience a saloon visit. All the more special with your girlfriend.

Wonderful pictures. Speechless. And those grand complications on your wrist showcase the virtuosity of Patek in the field of horology. A once in a lifetime experience , thanks for taking me there in pictures. Best wishes! Geross.

FA
FabR
Jul 8, 2018
Thanks a lot Geross, appreciate it😁it was totally my honor to try on (and listen to) some of those incredible Pateks 😁 [nt]

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